THe Diuine p • ecopts of Chriſt forbidd men to Iudge one annother, Iudgment belongs to God, and to none else; for he saith IVDGMENT IS MINE:

It pleaseth God to suffer my Parents to fly the bluddy perſecutions in France against those vvhich the Roman Catholikes called then 〈◊〉 My said Parents left and lost all for that cause;

My Father Anthoine Gerbier vvas a genthleman borne, and had a Baronnie in Notmandie; My Mother vvas Radegonde, daughter jn Ayre to the Lord of Blayet in Picardie;

I vvas borne; att Middelbourg in Zelandt, vvhence I vvas (by one of my Brothers) transported into France, and thence returned; and about 〈◊〉 tuinty one paſt (in the company of Noël Caron then Holl • ndt Ambaſſadeur) into England; vvhere I applied myselfe to George Villiers, nevvly become fauorit to King Ieames, the said George Villiers, being immediatly after Baron, Viſcount Earle, and aftervvards created Marquis and Duke of Buckingham.

My attendance vvas pleasing to him, bijcause of my seuerall languages, good hand in vvriting:, ſkill in sçiences, as Mathematicks, Architecture, dravving, painting, contryuing of ſcenes, Marques, ſhovvs and entertainments for greate Princes, besides many 〈◊〉 vvhich I had gathered from diuers rare perſons, as likvv • e, for making of Engins usfull in vvarre, as I made thoſe vvhich might blovve vpp the Dike that ſtopt the paſſage to the Tovvne of Rochell, for it vvas on the same Modell of that of the Prince of Parms vvhen the attempt vvas on Antvverpe;

He did puts to me firſt, the contryuance of some of his habitations, to chouſe fort him rarities, bookes, medals, marble 〈1 line〉 of mony, of vvhich I neuer vvould hane the managing.

I did keepe his Cifers vvith his jntelligences abroade, vvas ſent by him (vvith the king his Maſters aprobation) in ſecret Meſſages;

No ſooner vvere thoſe markes of truſt obſerued, butt malicious Ignorant perſons made gloſſes theron, according the places vvere I vvas ſent:

My firſt publike inployment abroade vvas a iourney into Holland, to meete theire an Eminent perſon from Brabant vvho vvas to make ouuertures from Spaine and Germani • e for the reſtitution of the Palatinat; I vvent att that ſame juſtant jnto Teſſei and aſſiſted Sr. Sackville Trevers, to gett cleere from the Eaſtindian Company theire deſſigne vvhich vvas to ſtay him vvith the Shipp called the S. Eſprit, vvhere vviht he made aftervvards for England:

My ſecond jmployment vvas jn France, to expoſtulate vviht the Cardinall de Richelieu, concerning large promiſſes France had made to aſſiſt Count Mansfelt, vvhen king Ieames vvas mouued to engage him ſelfe on theire fai • e promiſſes againts Spaine; vvhich aſſiſtance prouued att laſt butt bare Cabinet diſcourſes, and no reall engagement of that king nor Miniſters of ſtate: vvhich ſeemed to vexc Count Manſfelt art my returne to Douer▪ and ſemed to mouve him to deſire that I ſhould ſay to King Ieames, that he had keijes to make his one paſſage through France, iff the king vvould giue him leaue, though it vvas a queſtion vvhether Count Manſfelt ment it, for he neuer had any o • ttaine promiſſe of a reall conjonction nor aſſiſtance of the french: his Treſorier then (for ſhovve) only did paſſe aquittances to the french; thereby to perſuade king Ieames that the jntended vvare for the Palatinat ſhould not vvholly lay on his charge:

I vvas aftervvards jmployed againe jnto Brabant, vvhere I vvas commanded to comune vvith the Marquis Spinola about the reconcilliation betvveene the Crovvne of England and Spaine, on vvhich ſecret conference the treaty vvas ſett on foot; and purſued vntill it vvas braught to à concluſion:

I vvas jmploied jnto France to remonſtrate the greate jnconueniencies of theire countenancing of the Spanish trade, for that theire shipping did tranſportte all the Spanish Marchandiſe, and thereby fruſtrated the king of England of thoſe hopes (during the breach betvveene the tvvo Crovvnes after the deſoluing of the tvvo Treaties of the Spanish match, and that of the Palatinat) the Spaniards might haue been pu • t to it, and thereby mouued to giue fitt ſatisfaction on the point of the Palatinat:

I vvas likvveiſe imployed by the King to remonſtrate to the French King and to the then Queene Mother, the miſtakes of the French Ambaſſador Monſieur de Blinuille; vvhen his men vſed violence on the Kings Officers, Conſtables and others that did theire Duty, to hinder the ſcandalous reſort of English Papiſts att Durham houſe:

I did then deliuer to the Cardinall des Richelieu a letter of the Duke of Buckingham, vvhich vvas by ſome taken for the cauſe and begining of mis-intellgences betvvene the tvvo Crovvnes of England and France, becauſe thoſe tvvo greate fauorits did then declare theire reſſents; vvhich vvere ſo violently vttered on the Cardinall de Richelieu ſide, as that hee accompanied them vvith unciuill gloſſes, vvho gaue ground to ſome licencious diſcourſes, vvhich did ſo little vvorck on me (that had not other Northſtarre then his Majeſties ſeruices and my duty) as mouued mee to proceed as befitted a perſon ſent on good grounds, and to make apparant to the haughty ſpiritt of that Cardinall that threats vvere to vveake to driue me from my byas, nor could his compliments aftervvards vvork any other effect on me (vvhen he deſired my toturne) then to mouue me to heare him, and to relate his vtterances vvhich concluded vvith compliments that he contented himſelfe to knovve the fame of a fauorit ſo great as the Duke of Buckingham vvas, but for him only to act the part of a ſingle Miniſter of ſtate; vvho did admire the povver of the Canon of an English Admirall, but that hee him ſelfe did remaine in th • humility of the Canons of that Church vvhereof he vvas a Diſciple, and as thoſe vtterances vvhere indeed butt flovvers of Rethorice, they coueted ſerpents, for he cauſed men to follovv me to the very port of Bollogne▪ vvhere the foldiers vvere apointed to ceaſſe on all my papers, butt he vvas diſapointed, for I gott ſafe into England:

I vvas aftervvards commanded tovvards Spaine, on an invitatin • from that King and a Paſſe ſent for my ſafe Landing▪ In any 〈◊〉 of CANTABRIA, it vvas to proceede to the intended Treaty of reconcilliation betvvene the tvvo Crovvnes; butt an Irish blee • d Eyd Papiſt Prieſt vvas ſett on by Mr. Endimion Porter to make the Duke of Buckingham beleeue that the Conde-Duch d'Oliuaras the king of Spaines fauorit deſired the ſaid Mr. Porter to be ſent on that Treaty, vvhich prouued but a plot of the ſaid Mr Porter, as apeared by his proceedings, for after he got the Duke of Bukinghams conſent to go allong vvith them and the Abot d'Eſcaillie (then Amb • ſſad from the Duke of Savoye) no ſooner vvere vvee arriued at Bruxels butt the ſaid Mr. Porter (vvith out knovvledge of the ſaid Abot d'Eſcalie, leſſe of m • e) repaired ſecretly to the Arch Ducheſſe Infame Iſabells, and to Don Carlot Colom •• , to contrice his diſguiſed paſſage into Spaine, vvithout the ſaid Abot d'E • caille and my ſelfe vvich he undertooke after hee left me on my vvay from Bruxelles to N • mur, and his returne to Bruxelles, though he had neither Comiſſion nor any letter of Credence, for I did poceſſe them, therefore his ſaid ſecret journey into Spaine prouued moſt ridiculous, and his appearance to that Court vvas taken by the Conde-Duca as an argument of vveakneſſe in thoſe that had ſent him▪ that had no letters of credit.

It vvas from that inſtant that I became an Eye-ſore to the English Spanish faction vvich vvas maintayned by the Lord Cot • inghton; ſome of them cauſed a moſt malicious and horride aſperſſion to be caſt on me ſuppoſing by theire letters to the Lord of Carlile (his Majeſties extraordinary Ambaſſador in Itallie in the yeare 1628.) that I vvas ſent that vvay about (on a pretence to go to Spaine) only to kill him by the vvay; of which horrid aſperſſion the ſaid Lord of Carlille vvas pleaſed to giue me notice; and on my juſt • eſſent declared in his Maieſties preſence, that hee neuer had any cauſe to credit that foulle report: yet did the Authors thereoff continue their malice againſt mee by theire ill Offices during my Bleuen yeares Reſidency in his Majeſties ſervice in the Court of Bruxels; returning copies to the Spanish miniſters off all the of moſt Important advertiſſements vvhich I did ſent to the King and State.

And as thoſe malicious perſons ſeemed to ayme to haue me and myne diſtroyed in that Reſidency, they endeauoured no leſſe than the diſtruction of his Maieſties ſeruice, his Intereſt honnor; that of the Nation, and the intereſt of the beſt and moſt aſſured Friends and Allies of the State of England.

This they did on diuers notable occaſions: Firſt, vvhen by their maintayning the Spanish, ſcarce any of his Maieſties ſubiects could get Iuſtice in the Admirallitie Courts of Brabant and Flandres, vvhen diuers of his Maieſties ſubiets might haue been timly releaſt, their perſſons and goods freed from diſtruction, diuers of them ſuffered therein by the inſolency of their aduerſſe parties fauoured by the Spanish faction in England.

Secondly, They croſt many faire occaſions concerning the Palatinat, by returning to ſome of the ill diſpoſed Spanish miniſters of ſtate ſuch ſecret aduertiſſements as I had ſent into England and vvhich I had in confidency from the Emperors Reſident, the Du • k of Neevv ••• g, the Prince Elector of Treue • ▪ and the Reſident of Collen: The ſaid English Spanish affected, aduertiſſed the Marquis d'Ayton • that the Infanta Iſabella Arch-Ducheſſe had honnored mee vvith a ſecret declaration that ſhee vvould put Franckendall into the Queene of Bohemias hands. This they returned by one Iohn Taylier (an English Papiſt, vvho formerly had been by the English Spanish faction, imployed into Germanie) by vvhich auertiſſements the Infants for her good vvill tovvards the Queene of BOHEMIA vvas braught into queſtion, and that buſineſſe vtterly diſtroyed, vvhich then I did manifeſt to Old Sir Iohn Coke, then Secretary of State: and that I had vvitneſſes hovv the ſaid Iohn Tayler confeſt his faute for hauing conferred vvith the ſaid Marquis dAyton • , Contrary to his Inſtru •• ions, receaued from the King and the Secretary of State▪ vvich he confeſt a month after his arriuall att Bruxels, that he had kept ſir Iohn Cokes letter to mee in his pocket untill the ſaid buſines of Franckendall vvas diſtroyed, he ſaid that the Cottintoniens had forbid him to go a long vvith me to the Spanish miniſters.

Thirdly, They returned to the Court of Bruxels the Copie of a great diſpatch vvherein I manifeſted to the King and to the Secretary of State all vvhat the Catholike States (both Spirituall and Temporall) had reſolued in their trance, that thoſe Prouinces vvere in hazard to be conquered.

By vvhich cetu • ne of Advertiſſement vvas vvrought the diſtruction of the famillies of the Duke of Aſcot, Prince of Eſpinoy, Barbanſon, Duke or 〈◊〉 and o • Count Egmond: One Iean de Viualde (that had been Secretary to van-Malle for the Space of 1 • years in England) beheaded on the Marquet place at Bruxels, on the returne of ſuch aduertiſſements as I had ſent unto the State? His ſentence in Dutch, bearing the vvords, Vitz. For hauing giuen aduertiſſments to a publike miniſters of a Neigbour Prince.

All vvhich being become publix, the COTTINTONIENS ceaſſed not to countenance inſtances done for my recall from that Reſidency; vvhich the Marquis de Velad • and Don Alonzo de C •• denas did vigourouſly perſue, though his Maieſtie did moſt graciouſly reject their motions, and vvith matkes of extraordinary exteeme of my fidelity, for he anſw wared, it vvas not his cuſtome to diſgrace thoſe that dit ſerue him vvill

Like ill VVillers as the COTTINTONIENS did likvvelſe countenance many complaints against mee made by factiona • ls about Queene Mother. The Duke d'Elboeuf, and others vvho vvould paſſe into England againſt his Majeſties vvill, vvhen the vvords of my Inſtuctions (ſigned by the Lord Dorcheſter, then Secretary of State) dit beare, that my 〈◊〉 vvas in the Sca • l • e if any one of thoſe dit paſſe to trouble the Engliſh Seas. As it ſeemed to be indeed vvhich vvay it vvent, ſince the factionaris about Queene Mother had thoſe in the Engliſh Court, as vvell of the French 〈◊〉 of the Spanish faction (and of others God knovvith) vvllo did ſturre an inteconciliable hattered againſt me for hindering ſo great a Princeſſe as Queene Mother, to repaire in time vvhere ſhee might breath (att reſt) the laſt of her dayes: In fine it proved that to free Queene Mother from ſuch aduertiſſements as I could and did giue from the place of my Reſidency 〈◊〉 factionaris about her ledd her avvay about into Holland, vvhore my confractor Sir Vvilliam Boſvvell could not ſtop her, though no ruine fell on him for her ſaid paſſage into England, vvhere 〈◊〉 ſelfe being returned I met a Sea of ill 〈…〉 of diuers factions, vvho duting my Eleuen yeares Reſidency at Bruxels, had taken occaſion to except againſt my aduertiſſements vvhich ſpared none, nor of Church, nor State, for vvhat vvas manifeſted to me and by mee found true on the place I did plainely ſet dovvn, vvithout mincing any thing for feare of 〈◊〉 nor for allurements, reſolved to take things as God • evould have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and to make due exteeme of the vviſe ſaying▪ Nolite canſidere Principibus, neque filiis hominum in quibus non eſt Salus. His Majeſty indeed vvas often graciouſly pleaſed to approve my endeaviours, to expreſſe his ſatisfaction thereon, and I may ſay, (vvithout vanity) a truth, as a marke of my gratitude, that his Majeſty vvas ſo gracious, as to ſay in publike, that of all thoſe that did then attend His ſervice abroad none vvas more diligent; this vvas vvritten to me by my predeceſſor Sir Iohn Finet, vvho attended the King at His dinner, vvhen the vvords vvere uttered.

Nor could I thinke ſo meanly of my indeavours, bleſſed by Gods aſſiſtāce in the diſcovery of many things, vvhich peradventure divers others vvould haue bin incapable off for vvant of Languages, but that I might have bin thought vvorthy of a better revvard; & better conſidered euen by the beſt friends of the State of England, ſince diuers of my advertiſſements to His Majeſties principall Secretaries of State, did beare particulars vvhereby his beſt friends could be vvarned to looke to themſelves, vvhen foure hundred thouſand Crounes vvere diſpoſed for the betraying of Maſtricht, that engins vvere prepared againſt Be • gopzom. That one Triboulet, a Bourguinnon, vvas diſpatc • t from Braban • to kill the French King Louis the XIII. All I got for my paines vvas a check from old Secretary Coke; to have named in my publike diſpatch the Duke of Bullon, though his name and the thing became aftervvards publique in the ſtreets of Bruxels, the check, I 〈◊〉 , vvas not old Sir Iohn Coke, but came from the English Spanish faction, vvho then conſtrained Sir Iohn Cokes pen to vvritte as they vvould have it. On the ſecond, the man being diſcovered by the French King himſelfe, a Gentleman belonging to the Duke de Chevreule vvas • ent to me, vvith thankes, nor did I looke for more ſince vvhat I could deſerve vvas to put on that maſters ſcore, vvho I had the honor to ſerve. And vvho in concluſion vvas ſo gracious to mee as to confirme his ſatisfaction of my ſeruice in my letter of credence to the late French King, by the vvords, V • z. I Do RECOMMEND THIS GENTLEMAN 〈◊〉 MASTER OF MY CEREMONIES TO YOUR PARTICULAR PROTECTION, FOR THAT HE HATH DONE MEE LONG AND FAITHFULL SERVICE.

This Letter of Credence I ſued for, vvhen I vvas perſuaded that I could no longer breath vvhere the Cottintoniens had any credit, ſince I did feele the continuance of their ill offices vvithout intermiſſion That it vvas moſt knavvishly ſuſteined to the King that I had de ••• ved to be heinged by my legs, for having to the Lords in Parliament (vvhen I vvas charged by them of my Conſience) declared the names of thoſe that did bettray the Kings affaires in forraine parts, though God knovveth I ſaid no more then I could prove, and did but anſvver to the Queſtion, for I never tutcht the ſtring of others, and vvhoſe reſt It vvas not my deſigne ſince to trouble; though my Iournals did beare vvhoſe Penſionnaries they vvere reputed to be, & vvhat Popish Prieſts vvere theirs. That it vvas likevviſe moſt knavishly repreſented to the King (vvhen the Prince Elector Palatin to the hearing of Colonell Linzey vvas pleaſed at Yorckere the Standart vvas let up to requeſt for my Licence, that I might be diſmiſt of my Office to shift for my ſelfe in ſome other part of the vvorld) That I had been untrue to my firſt maſter the Duke of Buckingham, and this on a moſt bace, ridiculous and falſe pretence. VVhich no doubt vvas forſtalled by a perſon, vvho in the Duke of Bukinghams time vvould once put me ill vvith the ſaid Duke, and even at the ſame inſtant that he intreated me to get him preferred to a more neere attendance to his perſon, it vvas one Maſter Iohn Aſbornham, ſince one of the grooms of the Bedchambre, it vvas for him I ſpake, the Lady Ducheſſe (at his earneſt ſute) required me to do it; I did it in her preſence, that she vvas a bed vvith the Duke, vvho miſtooke my ſpeech and diſtickt it, for novv I • uſt declare the truth (on vvhich I take God to vvitnes) it vvas vvhen the Duke had told me in private that he vvould have me in that place, Sir Sackville Crovv being then on point to be preferred to the place of Treſorier of the Navy. This office in favour of Maſter Aſbornham, though to my one prejudice then, proved ſo little advantagious to me, as that it vvas ſuppoſed to the Duke of Buckingham that I had taken the Lady Porbecks part, to ſave her from the Officiers that vvould have carried her to priſon, from a houſe in the Strand next to the Venetian Ordinary, vvere then the Savoye Ambaſſador did lay, and vvhere by accident I then vvas. It being in thoſe dayes that the miſunderſtanding betvven the Duke and me vvas fomented, God of Heaven knovveth (to vvhoſe Tribunall I do appeale on that ſubject and to anſvver for all vvhat is contained in theſe Lines) that I had no to-reſpondence at all vvith the Lady Porbeck, nor bad ſeen her ſince the dayes that she lived in amity vvith the Duke and all the family of the Villiers. Not had the Abot d'Eſcaille any premeditated deſſigne vvith her, nor to contribute to her eſcappe; as vvas ſuppoſed on a vvanton 〈…〉 -Looſneſſe, vvhich vvas acted on a ſuddayne, vvithout any premeditation vvhen one of the Pages of the Ambaſſador vvas dreſt in a vvon as cloſe Monſieur Bron •• , Sir Theodor Mayetnes brother in Lavv being then preſent and the ſaid Page put in a Coach by the Abott d'Eſrailles men, vvho finding the houſe vvhere the Abott d'Eſcaillie their Maſter lay to bee abuſed by a number of men that brake in to g ••• ouer a pall • of his guarden into a next houſe, vvhere the Lady Po • bech vvas ſaid to Lodge, propoſed to the Abott (being att dinner) to ridde his houſe of annoyance, for that his ſaid men did conceaue that all the crevv vvould runne out of dores to ſtopp the Coach vvherein the Page vvas putt, vvho vvas found to be a Page in effect, as foone the Coach vvas overtaken the length of a ſtreet, vvhich did not att all contribute to the eſcappe of the Lady Po • beck, ſince the houſe vvherein ſhe vvas remayned pocect vvith Sergeants and ſtore of people.

All vvhich being examined and found true mo •• ed the Duke of Buckingham to reconcile himſelfe vvith the Abott d'Eſcaille, and to deſire that the feaſt of reconcilliation ſhould be att my houſe; vvhere the Duke vvas pleaſed tvvo dayes after to beſeech his Maieſties to come vvith the Quene, to accept like entertainment becauſe the manner thereof vvas pleaſing.

The impoſture, therfore, that I ſhould haue been untrue to the Duke being Manifeſt, could not butt vvith tvvo much Audacity and buſneſſe be repreſented to the Kings moſt Royal 〈◊〉 tvvelue yeares after that it vvas clereed, and his Majeſtie had many proofes of my fidellity and conſtancy to his ſeruice, for vvhich I haue many letters of his Royall hand to ſhue, and vvherein as before ſaid his Majeſties hath ben moſt gratiouſly pleaſed to expreſſe his ſatisfaction.

I vvas thus contayned to sue for my remoue from the preſence of a greate King, in vvhoſe ſeruice and in that of the State) I vvould haue thought my ſelfe happy to end my dayes; yett my licence vvas refuſed to agreate Prince; vvho (in meere compaſſion) inclined to ſpeake in my favour, vvhen all meanes of ſubſiſtance vvere taken from me, that the Secretary of State then Lord Fackland had hindered ſome Biſhops of paying ſuch monnie to mee as had beene by Tallies ſtruck on them a yeare before, and for vvhich I had payed the fees in the Exchequer att vveſtminſter.

Being thus in an Inſtant deprived of all lively-hood and alſo fruſtrated of deſbo •• ſſments made both for the tranſpottation of Queene Mothers trayne from London to Douer, and during the time of my attendance in the office of Maſter of Ceremonies (after I had conſumed my ſelfe in his Maieſties ſeruice during my eleven yeares Reſidency in the Court of Bruxels▪ greate part of my arreares being 〈◊〉 payed) No vvouder that I tooke then hold on the occaſion to paſſe into France, vvhen I had obtained the letter of Credence as aforeſaid▪ vvhich being about the time that a queſtion vvas moved on as intercepted letter ſent from London to Oxford fathered on me (though no man could proure the caracter to be myne not to haue his ſent directly nor indirectly by me my ſaid departure then did not (as it ſeemes) ſatisfy all thoſe that heard of the ſaid letter; not ſome that haue bin pleaſed to vent gloſſes theron; Though, I had to pleade on that ſubiect firſt, not guilty:

Secondly, That I vvas charged vvith a letter of Credence to paſſe a Compliment vvith a King vvho vvas acere the Angonies of death, as it proued; ſince ere I landed att Callis he vvas deceaſſed.

Thirdly, that I had a paſſe from the Parliament, declaring my libertie, to attend his Maieſties ſeruice, and this vvithout limitation of place; vvhen his Maieſtie had full povver on me to command mee to go or to come; That my dependency vvas Manifeſt and publike; my attendance but a Coremoniall part, vvithout any relation to the dicipline of vvarres.

Fourthly 〈◊〉 my going from London I vvas in no conſtraint nor vnder any guarde.

Fiftly, it vvas ten the ClocK in the morning vvhen I did embarke my ſelfe in the ordinary packett boate att Douer vvhereof one Maſter VVhi • vvas maſter vvho had Knovvne me many yeares before, I payed the duties, vvhich the Officers there demanded of mee: all men that vvere there did ſee my face, vvhich vvas not diſguiſed by falce heare nor peruix. Maſter vvhit vvas at the ſtarren of the Boate and I neuer vvent under deck to hidde my ſelfe.

Sixtly, that iff the letter could haue been proved to bee mine, yet could it not have argued mee to bee a dangerous man, ſince I had no voyce in chapter vvith either parties; that I vvas no inſtrument of the unhappy difference betvven the King and his People for vvhich I ſhall praiſe God vvhille I live; and di •• rs of my publick diſpatchs (vvhich I have made to the King and State during my Reſidency at Bruxels, as my Iournals can manifeſt) vvill prouve that I did faithfully relate hovv little the vvorld did reflect on His Majeſties povver, ſo long it vvas not ſeaſoned by an Harmonious concordance of Parliaments; VVhich vvas often caſt in my teeth, VVhen I did inciſt (as my duty vvas, and my Inſtructions did beare) on the point of the reſtitution of the Palatinat; VVhich endeauours (beſides the purſuance of His Majeſties intereſts) loſt me vvith ſome of the Spaniſh Miniſters, as namely vvith the Preſident Role, vvho vvhen I did demand Iuſtice for His Majeſties ſubjeſts, and ſuch poſſitiue anſvvers as I vvas commanded to put to him inſolently queſtioned vvhetber the King had an Army of fifthy thouſand man at his back: VVhich he •• eered vvith diſreſpectfull VVords, vvheron I made a juſt complaint to the Infant Cardinall, vvho did blame the ſaid Preſident Roſe for it.

No men vvill vvonder (as I do conceiue) that I did at laſt ſue for my recall from that imploiment; as I did vvhen I had ſo long vvithſtood the violence and malice of the Cottintoniens, vvho by theſe great Intelligence vvith the moſt depraued Miniſters the King of Spaine had (ſome of vvhich the ſaid King hath been conſtrained to shake of) all the good and ſolid Orders ſent to me by His Majeſties Principall Secretaries of State, vvere of no force; and all good indeavours deſtroyed▪ to the prejudice of His Majeſties Seruice, Honour, and the reall good and greatneſſe 〈◊〉 the State of England.

No vvonder alſo, that I did ſue for my ſaid recall, vvhen the Kings ennemies made uſe of Spirits of Dil •• ion to attempt on the Soules and minds of the firſt of my family, a perfecution vvhich (vvithout comparaiſon) Iob neuer felt, for his calamity did not follovv him from one Countrey to another: As ſirſt it begun againſt me in Brabant▪ It continued at my returne in England, and follovved me into France, as feemes to finish vvhere it begun vvith my Predeceſſors.

For no ſooner had I gotten in France a Surintendance of an Office vvhich vvould haue proued vvorth to me many thouſand pounds a yeare; but vvas purſued by factionnaries, vvho did boldly maintaine in Petitions preſented by the Bishop du Puis to the Queen Regent, that She vvas Ipſo facto excommunicated, for having conferred ſuch an Office on an Heretique, as they terme all that are not of the Church of Rome: This vvas purſued by libels and miſchie •••• contrivances; in vvhich English Papiſts had part, as eſpecially those vvho impudently, and moſt falcoly, did ſuſtaine me to be the man who croſt all the King of great Brittains affaires abroad, alledging 〈◊〉 other ground for their utterances, but vvhat I had openly declared to the Lords in Parliament concerning the Lord Cottington; and ha • during my being at Paris, one Sir Thomas Dishington had free acceſſe to me That the ſaid Sir Thomas Dishingt on should have ſaid that it vvas I vvho diſuaded the Queen Regent from ſending any Ambaſſado • r into England that had not left a good eſteeme there; that the Queen Regent, being graciouſly pleaſed to aſke my opinion vvhat perſon ſeemed moſt fit for that Ambaſſage, I ſaid in anſvver (to her moſt gracious commands) that to me the Mareshall de Baſſompie •• e ſeemeed the fitteſt, being a peaceable, graue; good, and vviſe noble man, vvho hauing once reconciled the tvvo Nations, might perhaps prou • a fit Miniſter for the reconciliation betvveen the King and his people. That the ſaid Sir, Thomas Dishington had ſaid, that the Lord Lanthian had departed as ill ſatisfied from the French Court as any man euer could; If I had not repreſented to the Queene Regent, and to the Cardinall Mazarin the true condition of that Lord; That I had likevviſe procured a preſent of a golden chaine to the ſaid Sir Thomas Dishington, and preſented him to the Cardinall Mazarin, before his going for England, vvhich vvas in the yeare one thouſand ſix hundreth fourty foure.

VVeake Objections indeed, and vveake grounds for Maſter VVilliam Crafts to proceede on, for the utter deſtruction of my familly, and to take hold on any other occaſion to do me miſchief, as vvas intended vvith a report that I had ſince my being in France coreſpounded vvith ſome that are not in good intelligence vvith the French: On vvhich point I vvas not bound to anſvver to any man liuing, for as I am a free man borne in Zeeland. It vvas free to me (being not ingaged in any ſeruice to correſpond vvith vvhom I vvould) Yes cannot any man doubt of my Integrity, and Maxime • conſidering the profeſſion I haue made during many yeares, my experience and the cruell perſecutions vvhich I have ſuffered by thoſe that are no reall friends to the State of England, vvith vvhome I vvould correſpond (both in publique and priuate) if thereby I could doe good to the ſaid State; becauſe I and my familly haue liued there thirty yeares; that I am of the ſame Religion that the Church of England doth profeſſe; and that I haue a particullar affection to the Nation.

For the bruited correſpondence in it ſelfe, vvho, doth it concerne?

IT may concerne the ſatisfaction of th • ſe that haue 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 (if they pleaſe to confirme themſelues in vvhat I do maintaine vvhich is TO TELL TRVTH,) to take the paines to reade the copie of a letter vvhich 〈◊〉 vvritten ſo me, at my going from Paris, vvhere I haue novv theſe nine months, troubled my 〈◊〉 about recouering three of my daughters, as yet detained from me in a Nunnery; contrary to the Lavves of God, of Nature, the Fundamentall Lavves of the Land; and of Nations in the ſight of a moſt Chriſtian Queens Regent; vvho as Her pious exemplary life, manifeſts Her to bee a macheleſſe Miror to all thoſe of Her Se • e, and condition) 〈◊〉 diſobedience of Children 〈…〉 Patents, &c▪